F1 video

Adrian Sutil says his season has improved as he’s become more familiar with the new Pirelli tyres.

Speaking in a video released by Force India he said: “The beginning was quite difficult for me as a driver because we changed the tyres.

“The tyres were very different to the Bridgestone tyres and also the car was not there where it should be so the car was difficult to drive. So both together was for me very hard to get the peak out and to maximise the performance.

“So I took a little while until I understood everything, the car got better, and then I was also doing much better results. The beginning was difficult but I think we handled it very well and where we are now is quite good.”

Sutil scored a season-best sixth at the Nurburgring

There are rumours Sutil’s place in the team is under threat from reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg. Sutil said he ‘d happy with his season so far:

“I would say quite a good season. Not too bad. Of course we started a little bit delayed and a little bit behind in the beginning.

“But after several point positions in the first race, and then Monaco, there was probably the situation in the race and being a little bit lucky, we got to a consistent points-scoring team, really, I would say from Silverstone to Germany.

“Germany onwards the car was getting much better, very competitive and always finished in the top ten, most of the time in Q3. So from there on it was very good. We’ve still got a few rounds and of course we need to push on.

“We would love to do it even more consistently from the beginning to the end but this time it was not possible. We had to change several things in the winter so that’s why I’m quite happy so far with the season. It always can be better but for us as a team, we’re challenging the big teams and Force India is still a small one so we can be very proud of it.”

The team will be participating in its first home race next week in India. Sutil said: “It’s very exciting for us and for myself to be in an Indian team for the first ever Indian Grand Prix.

“I’ve been in this team since the beginning so it’s nice to see them now going to their home Grand Prix, with me as a part of it, so for sure it’s going to be a different feeling on the grid.

But also during the race weekend, we have a big PR schedule, a lot of events. But I’m sure at the same time on Sunday a lot of fans will cheer for us. They’re going to be a special crowd and of course we all hope to do very well there.”

Team principal Vijay Mallya said when he took over the team in 2008 that he would like a podium finish in the first Indian Grand Prix. Sutil believes the team should set itself a more realistic target, saying a top five finish would be “amazing”:

“I know he said that many years ago but we shouldn’t put ourselves too much under pressure because then it just doesn’t work. We know how to do our best job and we just have to focus and stay concentrated and whatever comes, you can’t influence it anyway. So let’s see. With luck, maybe a podium. I wouldn’t say no.”

Yes @oel-f1, it was the target Mallya set when the indian GP was confirmed to have a deal to run from 2012.

At the time he was pretty much laughed away, as the team was then still in about the place where Lotus or even Viring or HRT are relative to the rest of the field.
But they did a good job of building up a team that might just be in a position to get close to that target.

100million dollar investment by Sahara!! this is the team to look for future!!!! I think Adrian never had a strong team mate, as soon as Paul jumps in the cockpit, he was equal or better thn him!!! sounds reasonable to give Hulk a chance!!!!

The tyres have gone through a lot of changes recently though, the last Bridgestone’s were very hard because of the new high fuel and after only one season of those in comes Pirelli. It’s wearing thin with me too but I can understand it to an extent for the last two seasons esp with Schumacher last year.

What is he even doing interviews for? He is being fired and replaced by Niko HÃ¼lkenberg.Hopefully we will never see him in F1 again! Every race where he could have scored a good result for the team he crashes. He obviously can’t handle the pressure in F1! Finally FI has realised how bad Sutil is and that he will never be a top dog like Vettel or Rosberg!!!

You are being harsh on Sutil.
He is not a top notch like Vettel and Hamilton, but how many of rest are?
I think he is doing the perfect job with the car he has, this year being more consistent and hardly committed any mistake.
I still rate him like Webber and Jenson in their younger stint.

I agree, he was a bit wild earlier in his career but the last two years he’s been very solid. He’s never had the best of luck, lets not forget two of those ‘race where he could have scored a good result for the team’ were caused by Raikkonen running into him.

…seems for me as if they are not happy with Adrians results – he struggled often with his new strong teammate and maybe it turns out that Hulkenberg is as competitive as he is and doesnt want so much money. I’m really courious about the other race-seats at LotusRenault and Williams – that would be potential places for sutil now !

This comment isn t serious, or? :D
I absolutely don t understand why is Adrian being replaced by Hulkenberg… He is the one who scored the most points of the team, he improved during the year in qualifyings turning the tables from 6:1 to current 8:8… It will be such a shame, if he wouldn t get a free cockpit in 2012… :(

I actually feel sorry for Sutil, he improves a lot and then gets the sack (allegedly!). I strongly suspect that if it wasn’t for his *ahem* rumoured disagreement with Erix Lux in Shanghai, he might be looking better for a drive. Just out of interest – does anyone know what the outcome was of that? I remember rumours that Sutil wouldn’t be allowed a visa for next time round in China – surely that was just those though; rumours?

Contrasting drivers in every aspect. Sutil perhaps a bigger ego, dont know judging by his interview sitting in a chair on a room almost 10 minutes talking about him Di Resta standing up outside of the room where sutil was on a balcony. Different speeches, Di Resta very humble and rational and Sutil a bit too much self absorved, honestly I hope to see Hulk in Force india Sutil is a good paid driver but a paid driver anyway.

100 million dollar investment by Sahara!! this is the team to look for future!!!! I think Adrian never had a strong team mate, as soon as Paul jumps in the cockpit, he was equal or better thn him!!! sounds reasonable to give Hulk a chance!!!!